Tethered ball apparatus adapted for play under weightless conditions

ABSTRACT

The disclosure is directed to a ball that is centrally tethered on a swivel. The ball is struck by opposed players standing beyond the length of the tether. The game is specially adapted for play in space under weightless conditions. The tethered ball is connected to a swivel disposed centrally within a weightless chamber. Goal loops are positioned at a point to be intersected by the tethered ball. Rungs and rings are provided by which players may pull themselves vertically or sidewardly to selectively desired ball striking positions.

United States Patent [191 Vetter Dec. 24, 1974 TETHERED BALL APPARATUS ADAPTED 2,889,149 6/1959 Williams 273/105 R FOR PLAY UNDER WEIGHTLESS 3,341,200 9/1967 CONDITIONS Curtis E. Vetter, 1710 Gunwale, Houston, Tex. 77058 Filed: Oct. 10, "1972 Appl. No.; 295,808

Inventor:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1937 Macy 273/98 R 2/1950 Johnson 273/95 A Brandley 273/95 A Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind ABSTRACT The disclosure is directed to a ball that is centrally tethered on a swivel. The ball is struck by opposed players standing beyond the length of the tether. The game is specially adapted for play in space under weightless conditions. The tethered ball is connected to a swivel disposed centrally within a weightless chamber. Goal loops are positioned at a point to be intersected by the tethered ball. Rungs and rings are provided by which playersmay pull themselves vertically or sidewardly to selectively desired ball striking positions.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEUBEB24|974 3.856.305

,TETHERED BALL APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR PLAY UNDER WEIGHTLESS CONDITIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In Macy US. Pat. No. 2,083,850, issued June 15,

1937, for Game Apparatus, a ball, tethered on a line swivelled at top of a centrally upstanding pole, swings, when batted by opposed players, score resulting when .the ball hangs up in loops supported slightly above the level of the same base that supports the pole, and by support means extending from the base. The opposed batters, not to be contacted by the ball, must stand suf-. ficiently outwardly of the space traversed by it, as batted.

In games of the type, (where the hoops are fixed to the same base that supports the upright from the top of which the swiveled tether extends that carries the ball .at free end), no adjustability is provided for changing goal distance apart, or goal radius from central pole. Also, in such games, with goals and base supported from a common structure, a ball, struck with too much of an angularly downwardly directed stroke, may strike upon the supported base structure, thus fouling the continued course of ball travel directed by the blow. Also, when the ball is orbited too high and outwardly on one-side, an opposing player, anxious in his time to get in position to strike the ball, as it comes down in orbit, too low and too close to the pole on-the other side,

and stumble over the common support for pole and goals.

weightless space, as by astronauts at a space station, or in astrospace observation device orbited to travel at length in a predetermined orbit. I

It is another and further object to provide a game of this class which may have structure added thereto whereby the game may be played by players, substantially weightless in space, as by astronauts in service in space stations.

Other and further objects will be apparent when the hereinbelow specification is considered in connection with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES in elevation in FIG. 3, the view showing player dispo- 1 'may move inwardly from safe playing annular space,

As astronautics develops, astrospace stations are I contemplated, where the astronauts will be required to remain as observers for considerable lengths of time, the astrospace stations comprising devices or machines on which the astronauts live, as such space machines or devices travel in predetermined orbits during predetermined, long periods of observation and experimentation. N0 method'or structure has heretofore been provided which could provide exercise as well as game participation entertainment, carried as part of the space station." A game of the class hereinabove introduced, and adapted to be played by players. substantially weightless in space, could provide for them opportunity for exercise and relief from the tedium of their missions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus, as a primary object, the invention sets out to provide a game, comprised of a swivel supporting upsition, escpecially with relation to goal radial extension inwardly; and

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a racket or which player strikes the tethered ball.

DETAILS OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. 1, an upright 10 is shown, as mounted in theground 11, at the top of the upright, pole or post 10, a conventional swivel I2 is indicated diagrammatically, with swivel axis vertical. Alternatively, the swivel action may be obtained by no more than a loop on a nail, or as shown in Macy U.S. Pat. No. 2,083,850. The upper end portion of the cord or tether bat with 13, which tethers a ball 14 on its lower, free end, exv tends into, or through a clamp 15, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, whereby the tether end portion may be released by adjustably latched with relation to the adjacent, parallel extending part of the tether in the clamp, and the effective ball suspending length. of the tether thereby adjusted, clamp 15, as described, arewell known and conventional.

The ball .14 is attached to the lower, free end of the tether 13, and when struck by a bat or racket 16 it swings around in an orbit about the top of the post 10, theplane of. the orbit being dependent upon the angle at which the bat 16 strikes theball. The object of the gameis to direct the ball 14 in such an orbit that it passes into a loop 17 which is formed in a vertical plane at the top of an upstanding goal post 18. The goal post right for a tether'with ball on free end, in which the tethered ball is struck in direction to engage with a goal spaced from the upright.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a game of this class, in which the goal means may comprise a pair of opposed goals or a plurality of goals, equally radially spaced from the swivel support post, independent thereof, and selectively disposable as to distance from support post, and as to relative angularity therefrom with relation to each other.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a game of this class adapted to. be played in substantially 18 may be adjustably spaced with relation to the post 10 since they are positioned simply by sticking their sharpened lower ends into the ground level. As indie cated by the dotted line in FIG. 1, the distance of goal post 18 from post l0 is selectively adjustable and consequently if placed further outwardly the tether 13 will have to be lengthened so that the ball 14 will enter the loop 17 and hang up therein as the outer end portion of the tether l3 wraps up around the loop 17.

As shown in FIG. 2, a broken line-circle 19 indicates an annular space that may delineate the field of operations of the players, with the exceptions that they can operate outwardly of this space, as chance or misstep may eventuate, whereas they can overextendinto the full line circle air space, as to strike the swinging ball ber 21, with closedbottom and top, is'illustrative of a play space in a space station, or is illustrative of the space station itself, in any event entering and exit means'for personnel may be assumed. In this chamber 21 a post 10a is shown upstanding from the bottom,

centrally thereof, but since there is substantially no gravity high up in space, the tether 13a,.shown suspended from the post 10a, may equally as effectively be suspended from a swivel suspending stud 10b, shown in broken lines'as extending for a short distance, centrally downwardly from the top. As the tether 130 which swings the ball 14a, has to be swivel-mounted in some way, in any case, a swivel 12a is shown on top of thepost 10a, and a swivel 12b is shown at the lower end of the stud 10b. The goals in this form of the invention may be disposed at a wide range of elevations, as the pull of gravity on the ball, when struck, is neglible, and it will travel in an orbit almost exactly as directed by contact with the ball striking bat or racket. As shown, the goals 18a comprise simple loops that may be selectively mounted in elevation, and radially around'the chamber 21, as by suitable sockets provided in the wall of the chamber 21, such sockets not being shown because of the small scaleof the drawings.

The drawings'show vertically aligned, spaced apart hand lift bars orrails 22 that extend slightly, radially inwardly from the chamber wall in FIG. 3. Also, a player 23, in broken lines, is shown in FIG. 4, as holding on to a rail 22 with racket or bat 16 extending inwardly in this plan view to have struck the ball 140, which is shown in this plan view, as in travel in direction to hang up upon entry into the approached goal or loop 18a. Of

course,with this game being predicated upon three.-

dimensional determinants, it must be predicated that the trajectory or orbit of ball travel in FlG. 4, is such that it will arrive at a vertical, diametral plane through the goals 180 at an elevation to hang up in the approached goal 18a.

As the. players are substantially weightless, they tend to float or rest in space wherever they become disposed, and it is necessary to provide some means of grasp whereby, by muscular exertion, they can directv themselves upwardly or downwardly into the range of another hand lift bar, grasp or rail, and thus stay in position to hit the ball as it swings by them in a next orbital course. Note also, a lift pole 24 is shown, by way of illustration in FIG. 3, and such lift poles may be provided in the chamber'2l, at radius out wardly of any ball travel, thus to provide escalation and descent means, other than, or in supplementation to the hand lift rails 22. Particular notice should be made that the player 23 shown in FIG. 4 is disposed outwardly of the to interfere with ball movement out of striking turn.

The complications of structure involved in playing the game, with players substantially weightless, adds to the ramifications of point making, or scoring procedures, whereby the game may be made more interesting. Also, it need not be limited to two oppositely disposed players, in either form thereof, nor to a pair of goals. 1

Although throughout the description hereinabove set forth, reference has been made to thegoal piece or projectile as a-tethered ball, it is not a necessary limitation that the game piece projectile should beof spheroid shape, but rather any other shaped game piece may be used, as cylindrical, cubical, conical, block or game pieces of a wide variety of shapes. Also, game pieces or projectiles may not be limited to material, rubber or plastic being materials that may well serve, but also other materials may be usedas well.

In effect, the drawings and disclosure are by way of introduction to the broad spirit of the invention, while many other variations and embodiments may be included. Also, the appended claims are by way of illusnation, as prosecution can develop.

l claim:

l. Game'apparatus comprising:

a. a space station,

b. a gravity free chamber provided within said station,

c. a tethered ball,

d. a centrally disposed support means within the chamber,

e. swivel means disposed on the support means,

f. said ball tethered to said swivel meansconstraining the ball to follow an orbit as directed by the impact of a game player,

g. racket means to impact the tethered ball,

h. goal means positioned at a distance spaced from said support means, the distance being slightly shorter than the length of the tether such that a player can direct the ball into a goal, and

i. positioning means peripherally spaced about said support means by which players may pull themselves-upwardly and downwardly in elevation and peripherally toward a betterball striking position.

' 2. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said racket means comprise paddle shaped bats.

3. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the swivel-associated tether end portion is clamp adjustedfor tether length selection,

4. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the goal means are selectively positionable in elevation and angle in relation to the support means.

5.-Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the positioning means includes rung means elevationally and angularly positionable at a distance from the support means greater than the length of the tether and ball.

6. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the positioning means also includes riser poles placed between the top and bottom of the chamber.

7. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the swivel is suspended by a stud extending downwardly from the top of the chamber. 

1. Game apparatus comprising: a. a space station, b. a gravity free chamber provided within said station, c. a tethered ball, d. a centrally disposed support means within the chamber, e. swivel means disposed on the support means, f. said ball tethered to said swivel means constraining the ball to follow an orbit as directed by the impact of a game player, g. racket means to impact the tethered ball, h. goal means positioned at a distance spaced from said support means, the distance being slightly shorter than the length of the tether such that a player can direct the ball into a goal, and i. positioning means peripherally spaced about said support means by which players may pull themselves upwardly and downwardly in elevation and peripherally toward a better ball striking position.
 2. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said racket means comprise paddle shaped bats.
 3. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the swivel-associated tether end portion is clamp adjusted for tether length selection,
 4. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the goal means are selectively positionable in elevation and angle in relation to the support means.
 5. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the positioning means includes rung means elevationally and angularly positionable at a distance from the support means greater than the length of the tether and ball.
 6. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the positioning means also includes riser poles placed between the top and bottom of the chamber.
 7. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the swivel is suspended by a stud extending downwardly from the top of the chamber. 